What is a fashion show? It is an event organized by a fashion designer for showcasing his/her forthcoming clothing collection. In any usual fashion show, it is noticed that models walk the catwalk down the ramp all dressed up meticulously in the clothing created by the designer. A specific order in which the models should walk the ramp is created by the designer himself keeping in mind the statement which should reach across the audience. There is a specific way in which the outfit is worn by the models – that isn’t necessarily the way in which people should wear the creation in everyday life.

History of fashion shows

It was in the 1800s that ‘fashion parades’ occasionally took place in Paris couture salons. But the American retailers imbibed the concept of fashion shows in the early 1900s. In all possibility, the first American fashion show happened sometime in 1903 in the New York City store Ehrlich Brothers. Then by 1910, large department stores like Wanamaker's in New York City and Philadelphia started staging fashion shows. Couture gowns from Paris were featured in these sorts of fashion shows.

By the 1920s, retailers across United States organized fashion shows. They were usually theatrical – all presented with narratives and had a specific theme like Parisian, Chinese, or Russian. These fashion shows gained immense popularity all through the mid-century, easily attracting thousands of customers.